Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope show that the system hosts two asteroid belts, in addition to previously identified candidate planets and an outer comet ring. Epsilon Eridani is located about 10 light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. (NASA)

‘Babylon 5’ Solar System Strikingly Similar to Our Own

New discovery means Epsilon Eridani could provide a look back in time at how ours evolved.

Epsilon Eridani is back in the news, and this time it has nothing to do with the cult-favorite, sci-fi series Babylon 5, which was set in that solar system.

Now, NASA’s flying observatory, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), has found that Epsilon Eridani is strikingly similar to our own solar system.

Located 10.5 light-years away in the constellation Eridanus, it seems to be a surprisingly close reflection of the early days of our solar system and provides a unique chance to study how how our part of the galaxy evolved.